Communities see safer streets for pedestrians as health benefit

With a renewed focus on physical activity and exercise, Marlborough, Framingham and Hudson are aiming to make their streets more accommodating to pedestrians and bicyclists.

By Jeff Malachowski/Daily News staff

MetroWest Daily News, Framingham, MA

By Jeff Malachowski/Daily News staff

Posted May. 4, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated May 4, 2013 at 4:04 AM

By Jeff Malachowski/Daily News staff

Posted May. 4, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated May 4, 2013 at 4:04 AM

MARLBOROUGH

» Social News

With a renewed focus on physical activity and exercise, Marlborough, Framingham and Hudson are aiming to make their streets more accommodating to pedestrians and bicyclists.

The three communities recently teamed up to form the "MetroWest Moves" partnership, aimed at promoting physical activity such as biking and walking. Through the Complete Street initiative, the collaboration received funding to roll out initiatives to encourage better health, while the communities are making road improvements to boost biking and walking.

At a forum on Complete Streets Friday, Doug Prentiss, a transportation engineer with FST, described a complete street as a road that is safe, comfortable and convenient for travel by car, on foot, by bike or public transit.

The three communities are undertaking several projects to get residents active, including the reconstruction of Rte. 85 in Hudson. As part of the project, Hudson Community Development Director Michelle Ciccolo said bike shoulders and sidewalks will be installed allowing residents to safely bike and walk along the commercially developed Rte. 85 corridor. The town will link the Assabet Valley Rail Trail to Rte. 85 as well.

Hudson is also repairing sidewalks on South Street to improve walking and biking access to nearby Cellucci Park, said Ciccolo.

Sidewalks will also be installed from the Marlborough courthouse to the nearby baseball fields on Williams Street to make it safer for walkers, said Ciccolo.

Officials in all three communities are also considering adding crosswalks, sidewalks, ramps and bike lanes that could connect the public to schools and commercial strips, said Ciccolo.

"It’s really been a wonderful collaborative partnership," she said.

By adding sidewalks, crosswalks and bike lanes, people are more likely to bike and walk than drive.

"It’s a major benefit," said Prentiss. "If a sidewalk is there you’re more apt to use it."

While Prentiss said many complete streets have bike lanes and sidewalks, a complete street could have none of those aspects, but still provide for pedestrians and bikers by reducing automobile travel lane sizes and reducing the speed on some roads. Some casual bikers and walkers will not travel on some streets because of high speed limits.

"Speed is a major component of a complete street," said Prentiss.

With the average man living in a walkable community weighing 10 pounds less than a man residing in a community without pedestrian and bike access and the average woman weighing six pounds less, Prentiss said minor road repairs can boost fitness.

"If you’re not active, you have the risk of obesity," said Prentiss. "Obesity is a severe problem in the country. It is a major, major issue."

Jeff Malachowski can be reached at 508-490-7466 or jmalachowski@wickedlocal.com.